It has the potential to be one of the biggest weeks in Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby history.
A Ranfurly Shield challenge in New Plymouth on Sunday and then an ITM Cup Championship final in Palmerston North a week later.
The Hawke's Bay Rugby Football Union's commercial manager Jay Campbell's phone has been hot with calls from supporters wanting information on the shield challenge. Taranaki became the new holder when it beat Southland in Invercargill last night.
Mr Campbell is urging fans to contact Nimon and Sons Ltd. They will take a supporters bus if they get a mimimum of 35 fans.
The union also intends to take a busload of sponsors.
One bloke likely to be on a supporters' bus is longtime Magpies supporter and union volunteer Graham Garner of Taradale. He has been to the last three challenges - a 44-6 loss to Canterbury in Christchurch in 2007, a 76-14 away loss to the Cantabs in 2003 and an 86-0 loss to Waikato in 1999.
Mr Garner is confident the Magpies will be more competitive on Sunday despite last night's 43-34 loss to Northland in Whangarei.
Numerous Magpies fans will travel by car to New Plymouth and it won't be a surprise if more than 1000 fans are there to help the Bay win the shield for the first time since 1969.
The shield challenge is part of a huge weekend in Hawke's Bay sport. Napier City Rovers play Wairarapa United in football's Chatham Cup final in Palmerston North on Sunday and tomorrow the Napier Boys' High School 1st XV rugby side begin their campaign at the national secondary schools Top Four Knockout competition in Rotorua.